May 18, 2006

Indonesia to export fish into EU via Malta

Indonesia has designated Malta as one of the entry points for its fishery products to the European Union (EU) to facilitate the overseas marketing of its products.

Marine Resources and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi on Friday (May 05) said that access for Indonesian fishery exports to Europe would be easier through Malta because of its southern location thus lowering freight costs.

Indonesia had so far exported its fishery products to Europe through the Netherlands. The country currently holds only 1 percent of the EU fishery products market.

The President of Asia Fishery Center in Malta, Joseph Scicluna, said Malta could

become Indonesia's trade partner for fishery products.

With Malta being an EU member country, access for Indonesian fishery products to Europe would be easier. Furthermore, Malta, positioned between Europe and Africa could double as an entry gate to the Middle East or African countries.

The development of free bonded zones would also make access for Indonesian fishery products to the region easier, Scicluna said.

Europe's fishery market for imports is worth US$29.03 billion, making up 42 percent of the global market.

Indonesia's other fishery product export destinations include the US, Japan and China.